Taliban Video Shows Execution of Pakistani Police

The Taliban has released a video showing the execution style killing of 16 Pakistani tribal Policemen who were captured in a cross- border raid from Afghanistan in June, the Associated Press reported.

The video, available on liveleak.com shows the policeman lined up across the hillside in traditional Afghan dress with their hands tied behind their backs. In front of the police stand men, who appear to be the Taliban, armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades.

One of the Taliban commanders delivered a brief speech before carrying out the execution, saying the police were enemies of the religion of Allah. According to the Associated Press the men then opened gun fire and shot the policeman in the heads knocking them to the ground.

The contents of the video has been confirmed by spokesman of the Pakistan Army Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas who said the members of the Taliban that performed the execution were from the Swat Valley, an area that was formally controlled by the militant group.

Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas confirmed the contents of the video, and said the Taliban fighters who executed the policemen came from the Swat Valley. The Pakistani military launched a large offensive in Swat in 2009, but many of the fighters slipped across the border into Afghanistan.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters crossed into Upper Dir on June 1 from Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province. They killed at least 30 members of the security forces over three days of fighting before being forced back across the border by the military, said Abbas.

In 2009 the Swat Valley had become a battleground for Taliban militants and the secular Pakistani Government .The Pakistani army launched a campaign where 30,000 troops, assisted by the air force engaged in battle to take over the valley. They succeeded.

According to the Associated Press one of the insurgents featured in the execution video of the policeman on Monday, accused the policeman of executing six children from Pakistan's Swat Valley by firing squad.

The allegation refers to a video released last year that showed six young Taliban being led into a forest and killed by soldiers. The Army claimed the video was fake, according to the BBC